Chuck Versus the Cubic Z
Chuck Versus the Cubic Z is the third episode of of the fourth season of Chuck, which aired on October 4, 2010. Synopsis A prison transfer delivers old foes, Heather Chandler and Hugo Panzer (Nicole Richie and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin), to Castle, canceling Chuck and Sarah’s romantic mission. Chuck is interested when the manipulative Heather claims to know a secret about his mom. Meanwhile, as Morgan prepares the Buy More for a huge video game release, he gets a surprise from Big Mike. Guest starring Stacy Keibler as Greta. Full Plot Main Story Hugo Panzer ("Stone Cold" Steve Austin) and Heather Chandler (Nicole Richie) are being transported by an armored truck when the truck breaks down. The driver calls his superior and reports that the farthest they can make it before the truck is repaired will be 10 miles. They are directed to the Burbank Buy More. Sarah and Casey are sparring in Castle when General Beckman informs them that they must harbor the prisoners until a helicopter transport arrives. This cancels a trip to Monaco for Sarah and Chuck, the latter of which is immediately tackled by Panzer. After Chuck flashes on Chandler and learns she is connected to his mother and Alexei Volkoff, he and Sarah begin to interrogate her. While they discuss Chandler's demand of witness protection, Panzer escapes his guards with a rolled-up newspaper and attempts to kill Chandler with a sub-machine gun. After they lock him out Chandler's holding cell, she reveals that it was Volkoff's $500 million deal she ruined in "Chuck Versus the Cougars". Volkoff had arranged for Chandler and Panzer to be on the same transfer, so Panzer could kill her. The new Greta (Stacy Keibler) attempts to incapacitate Hugo, but he quickly knocks her unconscious and drags her to the rest of the agents. When Casey calls Greta, Hugo reveals to him that she is "indisposed". Panzer puts Castle in lockdown and opens the cell doors to enter and kill them. Casey uses a fire override from the outside (after some frustration with the voiceprint computer), so that Heather, Chuck, and Sarah can escape in the ventilation system. When Hugo follows them, Casey gives them directions to escape him. When Panzer finally catches up with them, Chandler attempts to escape. Sarah beats Heather to the ground while Chuck holds off Hugo. Chuck flashes on self-defense techniques when Hugo grabs his tie and pushes Panzer down an air duct. Casey manages to sneak up and capture him. Heather and Hugo, bound and ready for transport, are taken to the roof where the helicopter finally arrives. However, it is actually an ambush by Volkoff's men. Chuck follows Panzer, who has escaped his binds and entered another air duct. After Casey is shot in the leg, Volkoff's men demand Chandler. Chandler offers to sacrifice herself, but Sarah releases her and she joins in the gunfight. After seemingly killing the rest of the men, Heather and Sarah hold each other at gunpoint. However, Heather uses her last round to kill an operative sneaking up on Sarah. Chuck catches up with Hugo, but he hesitates to shoot due to being so close to the store's gas line. The duct collapses into the cage in Buy More's repair department. After they brutally beat each other with various items (including repaired computers), Panzer uses his body weight and defeats Chuck by simply falling back on him. Hugo attempts to exit the store while Big Mike lectures the customers, and Mike threatens to make an example out of him. Hugo encourages him to do so and uses Morgan as a human shield, but Mike manages to tase Hugo and release Morgan. As Chandler and Panzer are finally transported away, Heather reveals what little she knows about Mrs. Bartowski: that when she met her in "Operation Beacon", Mary was very close to Volkoff himself. Buy More Morgan Grimes and Greta prepare for the midnight release of the popular video game "Spy Attack", for which fanboys have camped outside the store for a week. Former manager Big Mike arrives and is rehired to help with the launch. Morgan then learns that the store is only receiving six copies of the game. He has Jeff and Lester distract the customers with poetry while he tries to negotiate more copies. When Morgan fails to get more copies, and Lester's poetry fails to distract the customers, they reluctantly reveal the predicament. The customers revolt and a riot starts. Big Mike begins a lecture and stops the riot. When Hugo Panzer attempts to escape, Mike decides to make an example out of him and tases him. He is subsequently promoted to assistant manager. As the employees clean the trashed store, Big Mike's engagement ring for Ms. Grimes is swept into the vent. Morgan and Big Mike Morgan has been avoiding his mother's house so he wouldn't have to face Big Mike (whose previous job he know holds), and is worried when Mike arrives looking for a job. However, Big Mike reveals his is proud of Morgan. After spending months on the sea, he has realized that Morgan's mother is the source of his happiness, and reveals his intention to propose to her with a half-carat, pear cut cubic zirconium. Morgan hires him as a "greenshirt" and Big Mike entrusts Morgan with the ring. Later, when the customer's start a riot, the ring becomes lost on the floor and repeatedly kicked. When Hugo later uses Morgan as a human shield, Big Mike tases Hugo and releases Morgan. After Morgan fails to find the ring, he gives Mike permission to marry his mother and promotes him assistant manager. The ring is then swept into a vent, and slides to Castle. Chuck & Sarah After Chuck mentioned getting married and having children in , Sarah plans to discuss this with him on a romantic "once in a lifetime" mission to Monaco. This mission is, however, canceled with the arrival of Chandler and Panzer. Chandler's repeated verbal abuse further delays their conversation and degrades the credibility of their relationship. Chuck and Sarah finally get to talk after Panzer and Chandler are transported away. As they discuss the rules in their relationship, such as sharing toothbrushes and using the restroom with the door closed, Big Mike's engagement ring for Ms. Grimes slides through the vent onto the floor. Chuck kneels down on one knee and picks up the ring, giving the appearance that he is proposing to Sarah, leaving them both in an awkward state of shock. Guest Stars * Nicole Richie as Heather Chandler * Stacy Keibler as Greta * Stone Cold Steve Austin as Hugo Panzer Trivia / Cultural References * The title is a reference to the cubic zirconia engagement ring Big Mike intends to propose to Morgan's mother with. * At the 26:36 mark, Lester starts talking about a poetry slam ("Brace yourselves for a free-form, no-holds-barred... a poetry slam!"), then at 30:42, comes out with a marvelous slam poem: "The flea-ridden masses infest my house / Do I cry, perchance to die? / No, McFly! / This game-launch will not be televised!", the last part of which is a reference to the Gil Scott-Heron poem and song, "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised", from 1970, which Scott-Heron recited to a 'poetry slam' beat. Scott-Heron's title, in its turn, was originally a popular slogan among the 1960s Black Power movements in the US. *Nicole Richie’s Character, Heather Chandler, is a reference to the movie Heathers in which the main mean-girl shares that name. Quotes Sarah: If you let her get under your skin about the living together thing, and about the other thing she mentioned. We're not going to get anywhere. Chuck: "Other thing"? What is that "other thing?" Sarah: Remember. Tough. Silent. Do not let her get under your skin. Deleted scenes The Season 4 DVD contains the following deleted scene from this episode: * Hugo calling Alexei Volkoff to inform that Heather got away with two agents and that he'll follow them. Music * “Don’t Shoot (I’m a Man)” by Devo * “Beat The Devil’s Tattoo” by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club * “Land of The Freak” by King Khan and the Shrines * “In The Valley” by Chief Category:Season 4 Television Series Episodes